Park Yeon-mi

Risking your life is not an easy thing to do.

— Park Yeon-mi

Going to Columbia, the first thing I learned was 'safe space.' Every problem, they explained us, is because of white men.

— Park Yeon-mi

I was a slave. I was sold in China in 2007 as a child at 13 years old.

— Park Yeon-mi

My mum was sold for $65 and I was sold for $260 - at the age of 13.

— Park Yeon-mi

If there is no word that means you don't have the concept. In North Korea they eliminate the words: depression, stress, dictatorship,…

— Park Yeon-mi

My favorite movies were 'Titanic,' 'James Bond' and 'Pretty Woman' - people smuggled in pirate copies from China.

— Park Yeon-mi

Kim Jong-un and the regime don't just oppress - they play with human lives.

— Park Yeon-mi

My father died without knowing even this kind of democracy exists in the world. He didn't even know this much food was…

— Park Yeon-mi

That is what is happening in America. People see things, but still they've just completely lost the ability to think critically.

— Park Yeon-mi

North Korea is a religion. We are told that Kim is a god and that he knows what you are thinking and…

— Park Yeon-mi

I had to be very unrealistic about my situation. If I was so realistic I would never have made it this far.…

— Park Yeon-mi

I thought North Koreans were the only people who hated Americans, but turns out there are a lot of people hating this…

— Park Yeon-mi

Back in 2014, at the One Young World Summit in Dublin, I shared my story of my escape from North Korea to…

— Park Yeon-mi

North Korea is a very Confucius country. We respect the elders, the hierarchy. It's not like America where anyone can step up…

— Park Yeon-mi

Everything in North Korea was about the leader, all the books, music and TV.

— Park Yeon-mi

I literally crossed through the middle of the Gobi Desert to be free. But what I did was nothing, so many people…

— Park Yeon-mi

I heard about desert, but I never seen them with my eyes. I just couldn't believe there was nothing, except sand and…

— Park Yeon-mi

I was born at the end of the 1993. The regime stopped giving food to the people. Three million people died from…

— Park Yeon-mi

In North Korea, people who are actually oppressed don't even know they're oppressed.

— Park Yeon-mi

Kim Il Sung prepared Kim Jong Il for decades to be his successor and made it very clear from the beginning, 'This…

— Park Yeon-mi

In North Korea, it was actually an oppressive regime and that's why I escaped with my life.

— Park Yeon-mi

I have visited slums in Mumbai, I have visited slums in other countries, but nothing is like North Korea because North Korean…

— Park Yeon-mi

We can agree that Kim Yo Jong is not taking over North Korea and I don't think that is in her interest.

— Park Yeon-mi

If I keep silent, I am betraying my people.

— Park Yeon-mi

I wasn't dreaming of freedom when I escaped from North Korea... I was willing to risk my life for the promise of…

— Park Yeon-mi